Extraversion-Introversion and MTF crossdressers

Often MTF crossdressers are said to be more introverted people and many of them are still in the closet.
At the same time many crossdressers love going outside, show themselves and meet others.

So I wish to address our extraversion level, for all of us who feel interested in.

If you feel too discomfortable with such enquiries, please skip to another thread.

If you feel comfortable to do it, rate your Extraversion level on the 5 point scale. It should be estimated by comparison to other people.

It is fun isn't it ? Thank you for participating.

Hugs

Nadia


P.S. To somewhat help you,
what means to be more extraverted ?

Extraverted pole :
. Am the life of the party
. Feel comfortable around people
. Start conversations
. Talk to a lot of different people at parties
. Don't mind being the center of attention

What means to be more introverted ?

Introverted pole
. Don't talk a lot
. Keep in the background
. Have little to say
. Don't like to draw attention to myself
. Am quiet around strangers.


Source - Those items are taken from :
International Personality Item Pool: A Scientific Collaboratory for the Development of Advanced Measures of Personality Traits and Other Individual Differences (http://ipip.ori.org/).

I assume u were asking about Robert when I replied to your poll.

Sherry is completely different! If I didn't have the final say, she'd be out somewhere showing off, at every opportunity!
RS

I am just average. You see, if someone comes up to me and starts talking, I will be polite and talk, but I don't normally bug people. I will at least make someone feel like there are a few polite folks left.

For attention, I don't TRY to draw it but if people notice, once again, I will be polite.

Life of party - At any kind of gathering, I will talk to a couple people but I am not usually the "life" of it. I am not a wallflower and I don't sit in dark corners alone. If I need to I will start a chat over a smoke and a beer.

This was difficult to answer because 'what is average'. We really don't much to compare to.

The difference between an introvert and an extrovert was told to this way tho.

An introvert will think about something and think about something and think about something. Once in awhile they will act on their thoughts but not often. I they do act on their thoughts they will sit back and think about what they had done to see if they are comfortable with the way they acted.

An extrovert will, however, just act without thinking. :tongueout


Any additional thoughts on the subject? :bunny:

> This was difficult to answer because 'what is average'.
> We really don't much to compare to.


Average is meant as average behaviour in the general population.
You may find among all people you know :
. one or two instances of very Extraverted people,
. one or two for Very Introverted people,
. and then one or two for almost balanced people.
and you can compare your own Extra/Introversion with that of those specific people.


Yes, it is difficult to answer such a test and the best way to do it is to have another person (your SO for example) to answer it for you in an independent manner.
Having both answers, you take the mean of both. It allows avoiding big mistakes.



> The difference between an introvert and an extrovert was told to this way > tho.

> An introvert will think about something and think about something and think > about something. Once in awhile they will act on their thoughts but not
> often. I they do act on their thoughts they will sit back and think about
> what they had done to see if they are comfortable with the way they acted.

> An extrovert will, however, just act without thinking.


It's a bit of a caricature, I believe. You can find many Extraverted people who are able to act easily YET being able to act most often thoughtfully.


Moreover ACTIVITY (the ability to act easily) is only one component of the Extraversion "Big factor" (out of 6 components).

That's why I prefer to show the 10 items of the IPIP list. It allows a better understanding of what Extraversion is.
On the IPIP site you may find a 20 item list, and much more relevant information.

Hugs

Nadia

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MlleErin

I am just average. You see, if someone comes up to me and starts talking, I will be polite and talk, but I don't normally bug people.

---

It is difficult to say, without knowing you and the situations you refer to, but in my understanding being average means :
. starting as often conversations as only answering.
If you only use to answer for the sake of politeness, that means more Introverted than Extraverted, I guess.

As for me I start conversations 20% of time and I answer for politeness (80% of the time : I am the typical Introvert (of the polite type... as you).

I can extrovert myself , but it is very tiresome for me. After a party, if I have attempted to speak to many different people I hardly know (I prefer talking only with a few good friends, as usual for Introverts), I will be very, very tired and will need huge rest alone.
An Extrovert is boosted by a party ! Me, I will be exhausted !

Hugs

Nadia

I can't vote, but I HAVE noticed that some of my MTF dressers DO become more one or the other when dressed. I also think that introversion can be triggered by being in company they aren't comfortable with. AND, I believe that being dressed can bring more confidence, much like having a glass of wine or two. Certain garments have that effect. hee hee.

Nadia, as your intro'- exrto' scale goes, in my male mode I have always been outgoing at social events. For all the years I was in the closet, I wished I could have been as outgoing while en femme. However I didn't have the support I have now, so i can finally be the extroverted person in male or female mode. I intend to mingle with others and let them know that I have broken free of the guilt and shame I felt for so many years. I can honestly say that I am proud of Jill and the woman she has become. Luv and :hugs: Jill

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nadia-Maria

what means to be more extraverted ?
What means to be more introverted ?

---

One site I looked at last year defined extroversion or introversion according to the activity that you prefer to "recharge". If you "recharge" primarily by interaction with other people, then you are extroverted. If you "recharge" primarily by quiet activity by yourself, then you are introverted.

I like that definition; it clears up questions like "But what if you love to be around people but you are shy?"

I'm a bit of a party girl. I love meeting other people and having a good time. And in drab, I'm pretty outgping as well.

I can't vote, because I can't answer.

A year ago, in male mode, I was very introverted. Since my teen years I was tragically shy. I wouldn't even look people in the eye when I talked to them, I was that shy. I had very few friends. I expressed myself primarily in works of art or stories that no one saw or read.

But then something happened. It's a long story, but the next thing I knew I was walking down a street fully dressed, head to foot as Caroline. I don't know how it happened, it just did. It was amazing, and scary, but something I really wanted to do.

I now have more friends than I could have previously imagined.

I still hold on to my male side, but at the same time Caroline is out there and about there, and ready to show the world who she is.

I don't know what the future holds for Pete/ Caroline, but I have a good feeling it's something good.

I have been introverted for as long as I can remember. I like to keep to myself and a few good friends. I do go through spurts of extroversion when the mood strikes me although only in male mode. Will I ever let her break free of those closet doors?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tess-leigh

One site I looked at last year defined extroversion or introversion according to the activity that you prefer to "recharge". If you "recharge" primarily by interaction with other people, then you are extroverted. If you "recharge" primarily by quiet activity by yourself, then you are introverted.

I like that definition; it clears up questions like "But what if you love to be around people but you are shy?"

---

Yes kind of trick may help.
But it's absolutely not a matter of black or white.

Because the main problem is you are NOT : "either" an Extrovert "or" an Introvert.
You must realise that many people are near the balance between Extroversion/Introversion, and for them most depend on the actual situations, and very few on their basic temperament.

MBTI (Myers-Briggs) fans as well as Jung's use to overlook that fact, although shown by numerous large-scale studies of numerous worldwide researchers for the last 15 years (see for instance the IPIP site I mentioned and its references to psychology of personality papers)

Moreover the extraversion level may vary during the life and according some circumstances. Such variations have been statistically evidentiated using longitudinal studies on large populations.

Since many people, if not most, are "neither" an 'Introvert' "nor" an 'Extravert' (in the Jungian meaning), it's more interesting just to estimate their present level of extraversion.

Hugs

Nadia

...when I am in full drab I am very introverted. However if I underdress I become much more extroverted and confident, more at home in my own skin it seems.
I recall once we had to take some photos for work which required a light dusting of face powder to remove the shine. Once the face powder went on, it was like an underdressing. It felt sooooooo good to go out in the sunlight. I imagined myself in femme mode and had not a care in the world about what anything negative anyone could have said to me at all if I was fully dressed.

I think often I am more confident about all of this than I give myself credit for. Maybe I am one of those personalities that has always got to have some negative drama?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bimini1

...when I am in full drab I am very introverted. However if I underdress I become much more extroverted and confident, more at home in my own skin it seems.

---

Yes, your extraversion level may vary according to circumstances. For some people for example, drinking leads to be more extraverted. However, for many introverted people, drinking may lead to being sleepy ...

Obviously behaviours vary greatly !

What we wish to rate is the AVERAGE extraversion level of the observed person.
Of course it may not be easy to derive such a MEAN....

Hugs

Nadia

Through until college, I was slightly introverted. I knew a lot of people, but I wasn't good friends with that many. I had a small circle of friends I was comfortable around.

When I hit college, that all changed. Now instead of knowing a lot of people, I know a ton more people. I socialize way more, I have way more friends. I am a staple at most parties, anyone who invites me to one always invites me back because I am pretty likable. So now, I'd say I am more extroverted than average.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nadia-Maria

It is fun isn't it?

---

Yes it is. I just hope you haven't been eaten by your sweater.

I am very much... Introverted
and for good reasons, society sucks...

I saw a special on TV a while back about introversion/extroversion. It claimed that about 25% of the population can be considered introverted. It also stressed, however, that introversion and extroversion are more predispositions than absolutes. That is, an introvert can still act in an extroverted manner (and many do) even though it may go against his or her natural inclinations.

This model pretty much fits me to a tee. I'm definately a natural introvert - I don't particularly like social situations where there are a lot of people, for example. And I suppose one of the reasons that I'm still in the closet is because I have such a hard time admitting Crystal to anyone. However, I have been known to participate in the occasional dramatic performance, and I quite enjoy public speaking, in part because these situations go agains my natural inclinations. They're a bit of a "rush."

Still an introvert, though.

Crystal

i am in between not very extro ot intro - can be both depending on my mood ect - i think of myself as a jekyl and hyde character - i can be very outgoing sometimes other times cant be bothered to speak to people - i act differently depending on the company i'm with - i really think if i found/find the confidence to go out dressed i would be a very outgoing person - i wouldnt then have the baggage/weight on my shoulders of trying to hide a part of myself that wants/needs to come out - adrians here all the time for me - lorraine (my real femme name) wants to be seen and heard but she hasnt been allowed to do so yet - i must eventually let her see the light of day if only once so she can rest assured shes seen something of the world !

I rated myself average - as I guess sometimes I am a little quiet but other times I can be quite the opposite.

I used to be painfully shy at school, would never put my hand up and always afraid to ask a question in case people thought I was stupid.

Giving the 3 minute speech in the English class was always a nightmare for me. The thought of speaking to the whole class would keep me awake the night before

I'm not like that now. I may not ever be the life and soul of the party, but I don't hide at the back anymore either. Now I give 2 hour lectures to groups of up to 30 people and quite enjoy it, especially the interaction. So people can change I guess.

this may sound odd but he "Paul" was shy quiet and in 43 + years there are not many pictures of him around..
now mj she has only been out 3.5 years and is caring open definitely not shy and as 4 gig of pictures and rising . i guess people can change

I'm naturally introverted, but can "force" myself to be extroverted if I try hard enough. I think part of this is an inherent personality trait which I believe we are born with and part is due to life's experiences and our responses to them. In my case I had this dreadful childhood secret (guess what) that I must never reveal to anyone. That must have had some effect on my personal growth.

Many interestings comments were issued on this thread and I thank all the girls who have already answered.
Don't forget to complete the second part of the poll, for the case you have currently a wife or a SO. The second poll allows us to estimate the extraversion level of our current wife or SO.
Make the estimation for her, or ask her to make it .
Then post the result (either the CD or the CD's wife may post the wife's result).

Many thanks and huge hugs

Nadia

The Meyers/Briggs Personality Index tool has an Introvert/Extrovert section. The last time I took the test was 1995. Technical people usually have a bias for introversion. However, I turned out to be pretty evenly divided. I thought about this and what I realized is that I do bounce back and forth. I go through periods where I like being by myself and other times I like being with other people. It's not 90-10 or 80-20. It really is close to 50-50...

What indicates the poll results ?

Up to now, we got 129 votes to the poll.
The bell-shaped curve of the results remained very similar throughout the progressing votes, that's an indication favoring rather homogeneous results.

At first glance on the bar chart, the extraversion level of the respondants is SLIGHTLY UNDER the mean of the general population (as an average).

Moreover, on the 5-point scale , where :
Very Extraverted is 5 points
Well Balanced Int/Ext is 3 points
Very Introverted is 1 point

The OBSERVED MEAN is at 2,7 points.

That means MTF CDs respondants see themselves (as an average) as not so extraverted, or more introverted than the general population .

It is to emphasize that as a rule people have clear tendancy to see themselves as more Extraverted THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE. It was evidentiated by numerous studies in the past and has been consistently explained for the HIGHER SOCIAL DESIRABILITY of Extraversion versus Introversion. (as an average, people tend to overestimate their own Extraversion, because Extraversion is seen as a positive and desirable personality trait).

Due to social desirability, the expected mean of such a poll taken by the general population would have to be about 3,5 instead of 3.


The fact that we obtained 2,7 instead of that figure of 3,5 shows that MTF CDs respondents are SIGNIFICANTLY MORE INTROVERTED than average.

And what if .... ? .... MTF CD respondants might not be so prone to social desirability bias than the standard people in the general population.... ?
Could crossdressers accept more easily to recognize for themselves another not socially desirable trait (as can be the crossdressing trait) ??

Hugs

Nadia

P.S. The votes in the second poll (Extraversion level of the CD's wifes) are too few, so far, for concluding anything.

Difficult to say because I feel like two different persons: introverted as a male, extraverted as a female...

Ive always been extroverted and very outgoing in my male mode.
I can talk to anyone at anytime, and its quite easy for me to strike up a conversation.
However, when Im in my "crossdressing" mode, I enjoy that aspect of my life alone in the solitude of my home.
So the more crossdressing that I do,
The more introverted, I become.